The News in Brief
Wednesday, April 2
Latvia-Georgia cooperation strengthens
Georgia’s business environment will be discussed by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a round table event on April 10.
The event will be held alongside Latvia’s Investment and Development Agency, with the aim of discussing the business opportunities between Georgia and Latvia.
This decision was made at the meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili and Speaker of the Latvian Parliament Solvita Aboltina.
The sides discussed issues of closer cooperation between the two countries, the PM’s office said.
The Latvian guest reiterated her support for Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration process.
Gharibashvili expressed his gratitude for Aboltina’s support and said Latvia was also a supporter of Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty both in the European Union and at other international forums.
The meeting focused on the ongoing reforms in Georgia and "its success achieved on the path of the European integration was noted with satisfaction”, the office claimed.
The parties expressed hope that Georgia will sign the Association Agreement with the EU in June.
They also discussed the issues of strengthening of inter-parliamentary relations.
The discussion also touched on the cultural and educational relations and the importance of exchange programs between the universities of the two countries.
During the visit to Georgia, Aboltina met with Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze and Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili. (Agenda.Ge)
Georgian sailors in Turkey ask for help
Georgian sailors from the crew of the Aqua Hercules ship, abandoned in Turkey, are asking for help.
There are four Georgian sailors on board the ship, according to the 'Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights' non-governmental organization.
They are Merab Jibladze, Elgudja Diasamidze, Vitaly Tavartkiladze and Ilya Barabadze, the organization said.
"The British-flagged Aqua Hercules ship, which was heading to London, is moored five miles away from the Turkish city of Iskenderun. It is anchored. On board the ship there are four Georgian sailors. The ship has been abandoned to its fate for two weeks. They say that the ship's owner is bankrupt and can not pay wages to the crew. Georgian sailors contacted the embassy of Georgia in Turkey and asked for help," according to the non-governmental organization. (Trend)
Georgian PM discusses European prospects with head of European Parliament’s faction
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with Hannes Swoboda, the chairman of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), a political group within the European Parliament.
The parties discussed relations between Georgia and the EU. Their conversation also covered developments within the Eastern Partnership. A hope was expressed that Georgia will sign the association agreement in June.
Georgian PM informed the guests about the reforms in his country and said the action plan for Georgia's rapprochement with the EU covers almost all spheres of political, economic and social life.
The parties also discussed the Georgian-Russian relations and the situation in the occupied regions.
The meeting was also attended by the S&D speaker Celine Bayer, the EU Ambassador to Georgia Philip Dimitrov, Georgian Deputy Prime Minister Kakha Kaladze and the chairman of the 'Georgian Dream' faction George Volsky.
"The conversation's main topics included the preparation of the association agreement, a subsequent rapprochement with the EU, the reforms and the geopolitical situation. For us Europeans, Georgia is a very important partner in the region," Hannes Swoboda said. "We support the reforms in the country and strengthening of economic and political ties between Georgia and the EU."
The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the second largest faction in the European Parliament. (Trend)
Georgia, Canada hold political consultations
The director responsible for Eastern and Southern Europe, Turkey and Central Asia in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Jennifer May paid an official visit to Georgia.
Bilateral Georgian-Canadian political consultations were held as part of the visit. The sides discussed a wide range of issues of political and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Particular attention was paid to the intensification of relations in the sphere of education, culture and strengthening the legal framework, as well as an exchange of high-level visits. The matter rests in Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird's visit to Georgia in the near future.
Canada is Georgia's key partner which actively supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and its integration into European and Euro-Atlantic organizations, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. (Trend)
Georgia announces scholarship dedicated to country’s first President
The President of Georgia Giorgi Margelashvili introduced a scholarship in the first president’s name that will be awarded to an outstanding student studying historic literature.
Margvelashvili announced the Zviad Gamsakhurdia Scholarship would be awarded to an outstanding student within the faculty of philology from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.
Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scholar and writer and became Georgia’s first democratically elected president in the post-Soviet era in 1992. He would have celebrated his 75th birthday on March 31st.
"Gamsakhurdia spent his academic and pedagogical work in the faculty of philology, which was the most important period of his life,” Margvelashvili said.
He believed the merit of Gamsakhurdia would be appreciated and be an "essential incentive” for young people, "who have to bear the responsibility of developing science and development of the country”.
Gamsakhurdia was born into a Georgian family in 1939, in Tbilisi. He was the son of Konstantin Gamsakhurdia, a leading Georgian literary figure. He graduated from the Tbilisi State University department of West European languages, and obtained a doctorate in philology.
Gamsakhurdia was a Shakespearian scholar and translated Shakespeare’s work into Georgian. He was fluent in English,Russian, French and German.
In 1991, Gamsakhurdia was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Georgian Academy of Sciences for his book The Language of the Forms of the Knight in a Tiger’s Skin. (Agenda.Ge)
Georgia’s business environment will be discussed by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a round table event on April 10.
The event will be held alongside Latvia’s Investment and Development Agency, with the aim of discussing the business opportunities between Georgia and Latvia.
This decision was made at the meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili and Speaker of the Latvian Parliament Solvita Aboltina.
The sides discussed issues of closer cooperation between the two countries, the PM’s office said.
The Latvian guest reiterated her support for Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration process.
Gharibashvili expressed his gratitude for Aboltina’s support and said Latvia was also a supporter of Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty both in the European Union and at other international forums.
The meeting focused on the ongoing reforms in Georgia and "its success achieved on the path of the European integration was noted with satisfaction”, the office claimed.
The parties expressed hope that Georgia will sign the Association Agreement with the EU in June.
They also discussed the issues of strengthening of inter-parliamentary relations.
The discussion also touched on the cultural and educational relations and the importance of exchange programs between the universities of the two countries.
During the visit to Georgia, Aboltina met with Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze and Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili. (Agenda.Ge)
Georgian sailors in Turkey ask for help
Georgian sailors from the crew of the Aqua Hercules ship, abandoned in Turkey, are asking for help.
There are four Georgian sailors on board the ship, according to the 'Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights' non-governmental organization.
They are Merab Jibladze, Elgudja Diasamidze, Vitaly Tavartkiladze and Ilya Barabadze, the organization said.
"The British-flagged Aqua Hercules ship, which was heading to London, is moored five miles away from the Turkish city of Iskenderun. It is anchored. On board the ship there are four Georgian sailors. The ship has been abandoned to its fate for two weeks. They say that the ship's owner is bankrupt and can not pay wages to the crew. Georgian sailors contacted the embassy of Georgia in Turkey and asked for help," according to the non-governmental organization. (Trend)
Georgian PM discusses European prospects with head of European Parliament’s faction
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with Hannes Swoboda, the chairman of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), a political group within the European Parliament.
The parties discussed relations between Georgia and the EU. Their conversation also covered developments within the Eastern Partnership. A hope was expressed that Georgia will sign the association agreement in June.
Georgian PM informed the guests about the reforms in his country and said the action plan for Georgia's rapprochement with the EU covers almost all spheres of political, economic and social life.
The parties also discussed the Georgian-Russian relations and the situation in the occupied regions.
The meeting was also attended by the S&D speaker Celine Bayer, the EU Ambassador to Georgia Philip Dimitrov, Georgian Deputy Prime Minister Kakha Kaladze and the chairman of the 'Georgian Dream' faction George Volsky.
"The conversation's main topics included the preparation of the association agreement, a subsequent rapprochement with the EU, the reforms and the geopolitical situation. For us Europeans, Georgia is a very important partner in the region," Hannes Swoboda said. "We support the reforms in the country and strengthening of economic and political ties between Georgia and the EU."
The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the second largest faction in the European Parliament. (Trend)
Georgia, Canada hold political consultations
The director responsible for Eastern and Southern Europe, Turkey and Central Asia in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Jennifer May paid an official visit to Georgia.
Bilateral Georgian-Canadian political consultations were held as part of the visit. The sides discussed a wide range of issues of political and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Particular attention was paid to the intensification of relations in the sphere of education, culture and strengthening the legal framework, as well as an exchange of high-level visits. The matter rests in Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird's visit to Georgia in the near future.
Canada is Georgia's key partner which actively supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and its integration into European and Euro-Atlantic organizations, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. (Trend)
Georgia announces scholarship dedicated to country’s first President
The President of Georgia Giorgi Margelashvili introduced a scholarship in the first president’s name that will be awarded to an outstanding student studying historic literature.
Margvelashvili announced the Zviad Gamsakhurdia Scholarship would be awarded to an outstanding student within the faculty of philology from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.
Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scholar and writer and became Georgia’s first democratically elected president in the post-Soviet era in 1992. He would have celebrated his 75th birthday on March 31st.
"Gamsakhurdia spent his academic and pedagogical work in the faculty of philology, which was the most important period of his life,” Margvelashvili said.
He believed the merit of Gamsakhurdia would be appreciated and be an "essential incentive” for young people, "who have to bear the responsibility of developing science and development of the country”.
Gamsakhurdia was born into a Georgian family in 1939, in Tbilisi. He was the son of Konstantin Gamsakhurdia, a leading Georgian literary figure. He graduated from the Tbilisi State University department of West European languages, and obtained a doctorate in philology.
Gamsakhurdia was a Shakespearian scholar and translated Shakespeare’s work into Georgian. He was fluent in English,Russian, French and German.
In 1991, Gamsakhurdia was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Georgian Academy of Sciences for his book The Language of the Forms of the Knight in a Tiger’s Skin. (Agenda.Ge)